title: Differential effects of genetic susceptibility factors in males and females with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS), a putative autoimmune disease, has a well documented female preponderance among patients. However, this is not the only sex effect observed in the disease. Unaffected mothers appear to be at a higher risk to transmit susceptibility (genetic, environmental or interactions thereof) compared to unaffected fathers. This maternal effect can range from intrauterine exposures to transmission of genotypes and epigenetics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address: sadovnik@infinet.net.
authors.forename: A Dessa
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sadovnick
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains
keywords: Gender; HLA DRB1; Maternal effect; Multiple sclerosis; Sex ratio; Susceptibility